Friday, August 12, 2005
Micame: Creating new provinces can speed up progress
By Rel P. Micame
LET THEM GO. Why is Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia against the Sugbuak bills? She left for Manila the other day to attend the congressional hearing called by House local government committee chairman Negros Oriental Rep. Emilio Macias.
Why doesn’t the governor just allow the measures sponsored by Reps. Clavel A. Martinez (Cebu, 4th district), Antonio Yapha (Cebu, 3rd district) and Simeon Kintanar (Cebu, 2nd district) to take their normal course?
Martinez wants her district converted into Cebu del Norte, Yapha desires to make his district into Cebu Occidental, while Kintanar wants his district made into Cebu del Sur.
If approved by Congress, the bills will have to be submitted to the respective districts for referendum. If the people in the districts reject the bills, well and good. But, if they approve the purposes of the measures, this means that they want improvement, progress and development for their district or province.
EXAMPLES. I can cite specific examples of congressional districts that were converted into provinces. They have shown signs of progress and development.
Let’s take the case of the Province of Southern Leyte. The province was carved out of the then third congressional district of Leyte, comprising 16 towns from the then municipality (now city) of Maasin to Silago, including the towns in Panaon and Limasawa Islands. Fathered by then House Speaker Nicanor Yniguez, the province was inaugurated on July 1, 1960.
I resided in Maasin in l960s and I had the chance to go around the newly created province when I helped a congressional candidate. I witnessed that the towns, including the capital of Maasin, was under-developed—dirt roads, wooden bridges, no potable water supply and poor health services.
But now, after 45 years, the province has progressed so much — with commercial banks and establishments in Maasin City, concrete roads and bridges throughout the province and other infrastructure. The province now has one component city and 17 towns.
Jealous of the progress attained by Southern Leyte, the adjacent fourth congressional district of Leyte wants to be under the political jurisdiction of the adjacent provincial government.
ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY. Another example I can cite is the newly created Province of Zamboanga Sibugay in the southwestern end of the Zamboanga peninsula. Sired by Rep. George T. Hofer, the province was created out of the third congressional district of Zamboanga del Sur, under Republic Act 8973, signed by President Arroyo on Feb. 22, 2001.
The provincial capital is the municipality of Ipil. Hofer, who is a physician, was the first governor of the province.
Now, though only a little more than four years old, the new province has progressed so much. The capital has more commercial banks and the towns have enjoyed infrastructure projects.
So, why deny the three congressional districts in Cebu the opportunity to grow faster economically?
5TH ANNIVERSARY. Maasin City, the capital of Southern Leyte, turned five years old last Wednesday. According to newsman Willie Justimbaste, the center of celebration was the newly completed Integrated Market and Terminal Complex at the reclaimed area during the administration of Mayor Damian G. Mercado, younger brother of Rep. Roger G. Mercado.
President Arroyo was the guest.
Maasin City was created before the term of former Southern Leyte Rep. Aniceto “Odong” Saludo expired in 2001. Saludo filed House Bill 7201 on April 8, 1998, which was enacted into law in 2000.
BLOODLETTING. Past president Lito Derecho reported to this corner that Rotarians from the Rotary of Club of Consolacion, led by club president Yuri Barrameda, donated four bags of blood during a bloodletting project of the Rotary Clubs in Cebu at the JY Square in Lahug, Cebu City, last Sunday. Among the Consolacion Rotarians who donated blood were Hermes Malicay, Mine Abay-abay aand Alma Aguilar.
SCRIPTURE READING. Suggested reading of the Holy Bible for today is found in the Gospel according to St. Matthew 19:3-12, “Jesus Teaches about Divorce,” and for Aug. 13, St. Matthew 19:13-15, “Jesus and the Children.”
(e-mail: relmicame@yahoo.com or contact (6332) 423-9956)
(August 12, 2005 issue)
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